Expat Groups in Australia

Australia is a vast country and a significant expat population can be found throughout the country, specifically in the major cities such as Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Cairns, Canberra and Perth.

For newcomers to Australia, adjusting to the different pace and way of life may present a challenge greater than expected and it can therefore be very helpful to gain an insight from other expats. Online expat groups and forums can prove a very useful source of information.

The internet is awash with a vast number of websites aimed at expats in Australia. There are websites dedicated to individuals from most European countries, China, Turkey, South Africa, Ireland, India and many others. Many expat groups are open to accepting expats from other countries but will usually require the individual to speak their mother tongue and to have experience of living in that country.

There are a number of Australian forums, Expatbriefing.com (/expat-forum/Australia/61/) covers a wide variety of topics and is a valuable source of information.

A comprehensive list of a range of forums and activities open to everyone living in Australia can be found here: https://www.meetup.com, the websites covers a number of cities and areas in Australia. Subjects range from volunteering, various sporting activities, and language lessons. There are also events for restaurant buffs, singles, vegetarians and wine connoisseurs.

There are websites dedicated to speakers of various European languages such as German, French, Italian, Dutch etc. where expats as well as natives who are fluent in one of these languages are invited to meet up in order to practice their language skills.

Expatwomen.com is a website dedicated to females who have either come to work in Australia or have accompanied their spouses and now need to build up their own circle of friends and connect with women in the same situation.

The American Women's Auxiliary (https://www.awamelbourne.org/) has its base in Melbourne and provides fundraising and volunteer services to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. The AWA welcomes all women living in Melbourne and who are either of American origin themselves, are spouses of American citizens or who have links with the US through friendships.

Generally, it has to be said that the expat groups in Australia are well established and a lot can be learnt from their websites.

While it is a comfort to many foreign nationals to have such a link to their country of origin or other foreigners in Australia, one must not forget that the experience of living in any foreign country is enhanced by stepping out of one's comfort zone and discovering culture, way of live and all other aspects of daily living while in the midst of it. The knowledge gained by finding out for one's self the challenges living in Australia can present for someone not familiar with the country's customs and ways of life are just as much part of the whole experience of coming to live in Australia. The knowledge can then perhaps be shared with one of the many expat groups in the country…

Living in Australia

From your safety to shopping, living in Australia can yield great benefits as well as occasional drawbacks. Find your feet and stay abreast of the latest developments affecting expats in Australia with relevant news and up-to-date information.

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